HTML Application and the Client Installer
Normally, the Business Desk runs as an HTML Application (HTA). An HTA is a customized instance of a browser that hides some of the normal browser features (such as the toolbar and address bar) so that a more consistent and usable user interface can be provided. Business Desk is designed such that, in production, it forces itself to be run as an HTA.
You can override the behavior that forces execution only within an HTA by changing the Business Desk from production mode to development mode. Near the top of the Global.asa file for the Business Desk, you will find the following line of code:
MSCSEnv = PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION is a constant defined a few lines above, along with a sibling constant DEVELOPMENT. If you change the initialization of the MSCSEnv variable from PRODUCTION to DEVELOPMENT, a number of more debugging friendly behaviors ensue. One of these is the ability to execute Business Desk within an normal browser instance. Remember to change this line of code back to its original form before moving Business Desk, which now includes your new module, into a production environment.
Another aspect of Business Desk architecture that does not impact the development of new modules, but which is nevertheless important to understand, is that the first time Business Desk is invoked from a particular machine, it is going to launch the Client Installer. This short process will download a small number of files that must exist on the client for the Business Desk to operate as designed. As already mentioned, this does not affect the development of new modules.